The winners of the 2023 Fourth Congressional District Art Competition were announced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) at a Monday night award ceremony held at Hackensack Meridian Ocean University Medical Center in Brick.

            “Tonight, we acknowledge, respect and honor these young artists’ extraordinary talent unleashed on canvas or some other medium and the years of nurturing, devotion and discipline it took to perfect that talent by parents, teachers and friends,” said Smith, who sponsors the annual contest aimed at recognizing and fostering the artistic talent of high school students in the local community.

            “We celebrate these 89 amazing young artists with impeccable vision and talent and the remarkable works of art they have created,” Smith said. “With our eyes and hearts and souls we breath in the inspiration—the inner vision—each gifted artist has given to us to enjoy and appreciate.”

Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester), Wall High School art teacher Jill Alexander, First Place Runner-up Marisa Amitie’, Second Place Runner-up Sara Nugent, Best in Show winner Cassidy Savage, Third Place Runner-up Katie Cortese, and Ocean University Medical Center President Frank Citara at the 2023 Congressional Art Competition award ceremony in Brick on Monday night.

          At the award ceremony, Smith congratulated all of the student artists, especially top artist Cassidy Savage from Wall High School, whose winning artwork entitled “Queen Clover” will be displayed at the US Capitol over the next year.

            All artwork submitted to the competition has been on display at Ocean University Medical Center over the past month leading up to this week’s award ceremony. The complete list of winners (which can also be seen in the slide show above) selected by the panel of judges—comprised of local artists Debbie Jencsik, Jim Inzero and Rich Thompson—includes:

            ·         Best in Show: “Queen Clover” in oil on Masonite by Cassidy Savage from Wall High School;

            ·         First Place Runner-up: “Service and Joy” in colored pencil by Marisa Amitie' from Wall High School;

            ·         Second Place Runner-up: “Hiding in Plain Sight” in pen and ink by Sara Nugent from Wall High School;

            ·         Third Place Runner-up: “Sage Advice” in colored pencil by Katie Cortese from Wall High School;

            ·         Honorable Mention: “Fossil Feeling” in Conte crayon by Caiden Gilmartin from Freehold Township High School;

            ·         Honorable Mention: “Height of Attention” in oil paint by Emma Kuster from Manasquan High School;

            ·         Honorable Mention: “Brooklyn Brownstones” in chalk pastels by Lily Ducharme from Manasquan High School; and

            ·         Honorable Mention: “Breakfast” in oil by Scarlett Scillia from Point Pleasant Borough High School.

            “When President Johnson signed the landmark National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act in 1965 into law, he said: ‘Art is a nation’s most precious heritage. For it is in our works of art that we reveal to ourselves, and to others, the inner vision which guides us as a nation.’ Quoting from the Book of Proverbs, he continued: ‘And where there is no vision, the people perish,’” said Smith.

            “Special thanks to Ocean University Medical Center—and especially to President Frank Citara—for graciously hosting us tonight,” Smith said. “I am deeply grateful to our art judges, Debbie Jencsik, Jim Inzero and Rich Thompson—each accomplished artists—for devoting so much time and effort selecting tonight’s winners.”

            “We were thrilled to have the privilege to display the students’ artwork at Ocean University Medical Center," said Frank J. Citara, MBA, President and Chief Hospital Executive. “Our team members, patients and visitors got a glimpse of the talent that the emerging artists have in our community. Congratulations to the exhibitors and award winners!”

            Since the art competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students from across the country have participated in the annual contest held at the discretion of each Member of Congress. Students submit entries to the office of their Member of Congress, and judges from the congressional district select the top winners.

            For more information on next year’s contest, please call Congressman Smith’s Toms River office at 732-504-0567.

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